


Wordbook

by GreenRoses



Category: Bleach
Genre: Denial of Feelings, Drabbles, F/M, Fluff, Romance, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Vocabulary Building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:33:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 1,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28496874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenRoses/pseuds/GreenRoses
Summary: A series of (usually) unconnected 100-word drabbles incorporating a Word of the Day theme. Both alternate and canon universes. Ulquihime.
Relationships: Ulquiorra Cifer/Inoue Orihime
Kudos: 10





	1. Amain

**Author's Note:**

> The purpose of this fic is to improve my vocabulary and force me to communicate a concept with minimal language. I am using Dictionary.com's Word of the Day and making myself write fanfic using whatever word pops up that day. I got the idea for this from BelovedDawn's (ff.net) "Word of the Day" fic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amain
> 
> Archaic. With full force.

Casting aside any remnant of pride, Orihime stepped into Ulquiorra's path and met his stare.

"Because of _you_ ," she said again in a softer tone.

He inquired after her return. Five years ago they'd met. Four years ago she'd confessed, and it had taken him three years to accept it. But even with his acknowledgement, the past year was so replete with frustration that Orihime left for university in Europe.

For a moment, his eyes betrayed relief. That's all she needed. She hurled herself at him in a fierce embrace and held amain, refusing him the ability to refuse her.


	2. Anthesis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anthesis: 
> 
> Botany. The period or act of expansion in flowers, especially the maturing of the stamens.

* * *

"What do you mean?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Well…I've loved learning about anthesis the most. So many wonderful pictures of blooming flowers!"

He only blinked, keeping his eyes on the studying materials between them. _My photographs are generally useful._

"Did you take these?" she asked.

"Yes. Part of my doctoral research."

"They're lovely."

It was her tone that surprised him. He finally looked up at Orihime, even more surprised to find her staring at his eyes.

"Can I have one?"

"A photo?"

She nodded.

"Yes. I can bring it next week."

"Thank you," she smiled, a shade of rose coloring her cheeks.


	3. Mal de Mer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mal de mer
> 
> French. Seasickness.

For training that day, Ulquiorra and Orihime found themselves on a sailboat atop hollow-made seawaters. But within the hour, Orihime succumbed to a fit of mal de mer so acute that it required carrying her back.

With Orihime now lying on her couch, he turned to go find assistance. But she caught his hand.

"Thank you for your attentiveness."

He considered responding, but it would only engage her. So he simply removed his hand from her feeble grasp and departed.

It wasn't until her door shut firmly behind him that he released a breath he didn't realize he was holding.


	4. Gibber

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gibber
> 
> 1\. To speak inarticulately or meaninglessly.
> 
> 2\. To speak foolishly; chatter.

"She's less talkative?" Aizen asked Ulquiorra. They were meeting for a status report on Orihime. "Why?"

"I suspect…" Ulquiorra started. It was an uncomfortable, complicated matter Ulquiorra was still untangling. Truthfully, her constant gibbering ceased because of the aftermath of her confession last week. Wisely, she had not confessed aloud. As it was, Ulquiorra was only required to report measurable observations to Aizen.

"…because she is losing confidence in her circumstances."

A technical truth. It seemed to satisfy Aizen.

After his dismissal, Ulquiorra headed straight to his chambers and thought of nothing but Orihime.

And his first lie to Aizen.


	5. Nonevent

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nonevent: 
> 
> A dull or insignificant occasion.

"It was nothing to him," Orihime said, her tone soft.

"I can't believe he went through all that trouble!" yelped Lilynette.

"When I mentioned my food allergies, he sent someone to ask me for recipes. But…a lot of the ingredients are local to Karakura. I don't know how he got them without starting a war."

So touched was Orihime that she cried when they'd presented her favorite dish. Naturally, Ulquiorra treated it as a nonevent. He merely spun on his heel and left.

 _A little too natural?_ Orihime dared to think. Her heart could only flutter at the implications.


	6. Furtherance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Furtherance
> 
> The act of furthering; promotion; advancement.

Taking a break from a trail, Detective Schiffer stood at the edge of a precipice overlooking the sea at sunset—an effort to clear his frustrated mind. He'd made little progress on the woman's case these past months. She'd approached him as a last resort. As the supreme sleuth this side of Asia, his fees served as proof.

But for the first time, the mystery seemed unsolvable. Daily reports of murders evidenced furtherance of an assassin's goals.

A familiar shade of orange—one of recent acquaintance—colored the skies, and he resolved to find the murderer of the woman's brother.


	7. Dendrochronology

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dendrochronology
> 
> The science dealing with the study of the annual rings of trees in determining the dates and chronological order of past events.

"The drill," Orihime squeaked, placing the tool before her T.A.

Misplaced for weeks, the drill was a standard tool for sampling tree rings in usual dendrochronology fashion. Her sharp eyes discovered it in a forgotten corner of the botany lab.

Ulquiorra glanced at it, then at her. Her stomach flipped when his piercing gaze lingered, but he gave no word of thanks.

As she turned to leave, his voice startled her.

"You've shown some competence. The board will receive a fitting review of you."

She mumbled her appreciation and scurried out before he could see scarlet emerging on her cheeks.


	8. Forsooth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forsooth
> 
> Archaic. In truth; in fact; indeed.

Ulquiorra peered into the old book he'd found—one humans rarely studied anymore.

.

_For she is a beauty forsooth,_

_Eyes of amber deep,_

_Bewitching, captivating_

_Binding as the eternal rays of the sun_

_When death beckons nightly,_

_Beckons from the moon—_

.

Ulquiorra scoffed at the nonsense, and at himself for entertaining even a word.

"You found one!" Orihime screeched at him. "Oh, you have no idea how much I've missed reading!"

Ulquiorra, marginally disgusted, tossed it on the table before her.

But Orihime flashed him the brightest smile he'd ever seen. It was raw. Grateful.

Her eyes of amber glistened.


	9. Cantillate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cantillate:
> 
> To chant; intone.

Insufferable.

He wanted out. _Now_. Ulquiorra tapped his foot on the floor, unwittingly having picked a seat next to a woman with auburn hair. She was in hysterics.

The priest, cantillating something in Latin, even shot his eyes at the blubbering woman for a brief moment.

Ulquiorra was about to turn to complain to her, but she surprised him by placing her hand on his arm.

"Forgive me. She was like my sister," she cried.

He opted to say nothing after he saw an old photograph in her other hand.

He could suffer the remaining 30 minutes of the service.


	10. Pepper-upper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pepper-upper
> 
> Informal. Something added to food to relieve blandness.

"Do I smell basil in these cookies?"

Orihime beamed at her boss, Makoto. "You have a great nose! I thought it would make a nice pepper-upper!"

Makoto took a cookie and bit into it. "Not bad…a little dry, but that's fixable."

"Really?! Oh, I just _love—_ "

A jingling of bells stopped Orihime in mid-sentence. Someone walked into the shop.

Rather, _he_ walked in.

Three days ago, he was supposed to have left for Hueco Mundo permanently. The new basil cookies were her pathetic attempt at distraction.

As Ulquiorra's eyes locked on hers, the tray nearly fell from her hands.


	11. Globular

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Globular
> 
> Globe-shaped; spherical.

"Try one!" Orihime cried, holding a small round ball between her fingers.

Ulquiorra glanced at her hand, then her face.

" _Please_. I worked really hard on these. They're little chocolate bites!"

"I know what chocolate looks like."

She angled her head and asked, "You've never had chocolate, have you?"

"I have never needed it."

She lowered the globular treat in her hand, gazing at him with a curious twinkle in her eye. She said to him softly, "I…made them all for you. Please."

She'd spent hours in the kitchen, for him? He only looked at her wordlessly, reconsidering her offer.


	12. Funambulist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Funambulist
> 
> Tightrope walker

Until now, Orihime never questioned the scope of Ulquiorra's indifference. She'd understood it superficially, of course, the day she met him in Karakura Town.

But there were limits to it.

This was the first time she'd noticed it. When she spoke of Kurosaki.

Ulquiorra's cold stare turned icy, and his words cut short. Then, as if he'd caught the waver in his own tone, his eyes flashed. Before long, his back was to her like a funambulist, both in his physical turning and in the thin, seemingly dispassionate line upon which he walked.

Then he left her without another glance.


	13. Paramnesia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Paramnesia
> 
> Psychiatry. A distortion of memory in which fact and fantasy are confused.

He didn't object. He didn't object. He didn't _object_.

Orihime lay on her back and stared at the ivory ceiling in her quarters. She twirled her hair around an index finger and bit her lip.

She'd told him just a few hours ago of her feelings. Ulquiorra just…

Looked at her.

He didn't object.

Her stomach flip-flopped.

Was this real? Did he really tolerate what she'd told him? Or was her observation the first sign of paramnesia?

But the _way_ he didn't object…he'd just stared. Pensively.

Months ago, he would have admonished her.

Today, he let her be.

He didn't…object.


	14. Ghosting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ghosting
> 
> To go about or move like a ghost.

Orihime stood before the white metal fencing, one hand resting atop the frigid rails. She angled her head, drinking in the fresh breeze as she stared across the ivory sands of Hueco Mundo. Her mind was occupied by a single thing these days.

The corner of her mouth rose when _the thing's_ presence materialized behind her, but a full minute passed before the arrancar ghosted to her side.

"Why do you always watch me from behind?" she dared.

Ulquiorra's bright green eyes met her own for a long moment before he faced the sands again.

She never got an answer.


	15. Whithersoever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whithersoever
> 
> To whatever place.

Orihime, three steps behind Ulquiorra, followed him whithersoever he led.

When crossing paths with a cluster of famished arrancar, she followed.

When stomaching the foul attentions of Aizen Souske, she followed.

When roaming Hueco Mundo's barren wasteland, she followed.

That day, he turned to face her in the desert, face blank. Before beginning her training, he pinned her with a stare, taking her in from feet to face.

Orihime drew a hand to her chest, clutching her dress.

If he had any inclination about the effects of his gaze, he concealed it.

Then back to her chambers, breathless, she followed.


	16. Bunkum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bunkum
> 
> Insincere talk; claptrap; humbug.

Gin sat opposite the wall of screens, hacking away at the keyboard before him. A murmur in the protective shields bordering Las Noches elicited his attention; few but Gin would have noticed it.

When Ulquiorra walked in to make his rounds, Gin gave him a wicked grin. "Comin' from _her_ room, zat so?"

"Tending to her is an obligation, you know that."

It was hysterical how Ulquiorra always flinched at the subject of Orihime.

"Bunkum! I see the way ya stare at her."

Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes and spun around. "Ridiculous."

Gin turned back to the screens, chuckling to himself.


End file.
